Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1887-08-10

expression of CHASTITY horror, and the pet
rified lips moved not, as the hideous moan
ing, which came from the bottom of the
chest, escaped them.
It began to move across the floor in the
direction of my bed-its knees at every
step being drawn up with a sudden jerk
to the body, and its feet coming to the
mechanical impulse, and were wholly
wanting in the elasticity of living men,
bers.
It approached my bed, and mingled
horror and curiosity kept me still. 1t
came and stood beside it and, childlike,
clung to my couch, moving only to the
farther side. Slowly, and with the same
unnatural footballs, it pursued me thither,
and again I changed my position. 1t
placed itself then at the foot of my bed,
and, moved by its piteous groans, tried
to look calmly at it, endeavored to rally
my thoughts-to reason with myself, and
even to Speculate upon the nature of the;
object before me. One idea that went
through my brain was too extravagant not
to remember. thought, among other
things, that the phantom was corpse,
animated for the moment by some galvan-'
ic persons, in order to terrify me. Then
as recollected that there was no one in
the village to carry such q trick into
effect t-supposing even the experiment
too, could those awful means be produced
from an inanimate being? And yet it
seemed as if everything about it was dead,
except the mere capability of moving its
feet and uttering those unearthly express
sions of fsufering. The spectre, however, If
so it may be called, gave but little opportu-
nifty for reflection. Its ghastly limbs were
raised anew with the same automaton
movement, and, placing one of its feet
upon the bottom of my bed, while its
CLASSY eyes were fixed steadfastly upon me,
It began slowly stalking toward my pill
low. .
confess that I was now in an agony of
terror.
I sprang from the couch and fled from
that apartment. The keen-sightedness OF
fear enabled me to discover an open closet
upon the other side of the hall. Springing
into it, I closed the door quickly after me.
It had neither lock nor bolt, but the closet
was 80 narrow that by placing. my feet
against the opposite wall could brace my
back against the door so as to hold 1t
against any human assailant who had only
its arms for lever.
The perspiration of mortal fear started
upon nv forehead as heard the super
natural tread of that strange visitant ap-
preaching the spot. It seemed an age
before its measured steps brought it to the
door.
ssIt struck it; the blow was sullen and
hollow, as if dealt by the hand of a corpse.
It was like the dull sound of its own feet
upon the floor.
Itstruck the door again, and, to my in
tense relief, the sound was more feeble
than before. Surely, thought, the hand
of no living man could produce such
sound.
T know not whether it struck again, for
now its thick breathing became so loud
that even the meanings, which were
mingled with the respiratiOns, became in
audible.
At last they subsidized entirely, becom-
ing at first gradually weaker and then
audible only in harsh, sudden sobs, whose
duration could not estimate, from their
mingling with the blast which swept the
hillsides.
The last sound that remember of hear.
ing was the,most terrible of all-the sound
which once heard can never be mistaken
for any other-the death-rattle in human
throat. It came with horrible distinct
ness-it seemed in my very ear. 1t ap-
peared to me that the accumulated hor-
rors of the whole night had been concen-
trated in that sound-that audible con-
nection between life and death.
What might been heard after that |
know not, for insensibility came to my
relief.
When came to, I knew that the morn
ing had come, and, scarcely knowing
whether or not it had been a hideous
dream, arose and opened the door.
What words can describe the awful hor
ror of that moment? Before me stood the
spectre, with the full light of day reveal
ing its revolving features in all their hide
GUS deformity. The face was swollen and
livid, the tongue protruded from the
mouth, and its eyes, bursting from their
sockets, glared at me and froze the blood
in my veins.
All this is impressed upon my mind
with terrible distinctness, although the
view had was instantaneous, for the next
extended forward, fell upon me and clasped
me in a horrible embrace.
I gave wild shrek and fell, with the
Once more insensibility came to my re-
lief.
The rest of my story is soon told. The
household of the inn heard my cry, rushed
into the hall and released me.
1t was the dead body of guest Of the
inn. He was afflicted with some organic
affection of the system, and was subject to
grievous fits of nightmare, during which
he still preserved sufficient powers of vo-
lition to move to the bed of his servant,
who, being used to his attacks, would take
the necessary means to relieve him. The
servant had that night remained out late,
and when he returned found his way in the
dark to the wrong room and occupied the
bed intended for me, whilst / had stum-
bled into the room occupied by his master,
and got into the servants bed. The poor
man had fallen victim to his malady and
my cowardice.
ALL ABOUT BANANAs.1"Howd do ba-
nanas grow?" AS no answer has yet been
given I will tell you something about it.
10 be accurate, I have jus. been out to
measure some small ones they stand two
feet or more in height, two side by side,
in place of large one killed by frost.
Each has four leaves upon its stalk which
I can almost clasp with one hand near the
~.a,~l o~l &C. bo hplh xI,OulA bp of